FY 2024 Namibia Country Opinion Survey Report ECR Business Intelligence Team | September 2024 Acknowledgements The Namibia Country Opinion Survey is part of the County Opinion Survey (COS) Program series of the World Bank Group. This report was prepared by the Business Intelligence (BI) team, led by José De Buerba (Senior External Affairs Officer) and Svetlana Markova (Senior External Affairs Officer). Yulia Danilina, Jessica Cameron, Nan Lin, and Sofya Gubaydullina oversaw the design, reporting, and analysis of the survey results. Noreen Wambui and Irina Popova provided data support. BI acknowledges the significant contribution of the Namibia country team. In particular, BI is grateful for the support from Lavinia Thoriso Engelbrecht (Senior External Affairs Officer) and Maria Mboono Nghidinwa (Consultant) who coordinated the survey- related activities from Pretoria, South Africa and Washington, D.C. Contents Objectives Methodology Overview Overall Context Overall Attitudes Toward the World Bank Group World Bank Group’s Support for Development Areas World Bank Group’s Engagement on the Ground in Namibia World Bank Group’s Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work The Future Role of the World Bank Group in Namibia Communication and Outreach Sample Demographics and Detailed Methodology 3 Objectives This survey was designed to assist the World Bank Group (WBG) in better understanding how Namibia stakeholders perceive the WBG. The survey explored the following questions: 1. Overall Context: How familiar are stakeholders with the WBG? How much do they trust the WBG? 2. Key Indicators: What opinion do key stakeholders have of the WBG regarding its effectiveness, relevance, alignment with Namibia’s development priorities, and other key indicators? Are opinions improving or declining? 3. Development Priorities: What areas of development are perceived to be the most important? Have the priorities changed over the past three years? How effective is the WBG perceived to be in these areas? 4. Engagement on the Ground: How is the WBG perceived as a development partner in Namibia? Are opinions improving or declining? 5. Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work: What do key stakeholders value the most regarding the WBG’s work in Namibia? What opinion do key stakeholders have of WBG financial instruments and knowledge products? Are opinions improving or declining? What are stakeholders’ suggestions for improving WBG’s effectiveness? 6. Communication and Outreach: What are the preferred communication channels? Are there differences among stakeholder groups in terms of preferred channels? 7. Message Recall: What key topics that the WBG communicates do stakeholders recall? Is there a relationship between message recall and views of the WBG’s work? 4 Methodology Overview Government Institution 26% ▪ Fielded March – May 2024 ▪ 819 potential participants were asked to complete a mostly Media 15% quantitative survey ▪ Respondents completed the questionnaire online Office of the President, Prime 13% ▪ List of names provided by the WBG country team Minister, Minister ▪ Fieldwork managed by the BI team and the independent consultant Bilateral or Multilateral Agency 12% ▪ 105 participants (13% response rate) Private Sector 12% ▪ 85% from Windhoek ▪ 35% currently collaborate with the WBG Civil Society Organization 10% ▪ Compared to FY18 Country Survey Local Government Office or 6% ▪ 125 participants (41% response rate) Staff ▪ Respondents completed the questionnaire online or on paper Office of a Parliamentarian 4% ▪ 8% collaborated with the WBG Click here for details of the Respondent Sample and Methodology. Academia 2% What is your primary professional affiliation? (Select only 1 response) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=105) 5 6 Overall Context “The WBG needs to support Namibia more effectively so that Namibia can achieve its SDGs and support them financially.” (Civil Society Respondent) “Recognize that there are gross inequalities and used this information to facilitate increased donor support to the country, despite its upper middle-income status.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Agency Respondent) “Awareness creation is critical. Hence, you need to sensitize the Namibians first.” (Respondent from the office of the President/Prime Minister/Minister) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Familiarity with the World Bank ▪ Comparison of FY18 and FY24: Respondents in this year’s All Respondents 5.9 Country Survey reported significantly higher levels of familiarity with the World Bank Group compared to the FY18 Survey: Office of the Mean familiarity: FY24 = 5.9 7.7 President/PM/Minister FY18 = 3.1 Government Institutions 6.4 ▪ Collaboration with the WBG: Respondents who indicated that they collaborate with the WBG reported significantly higher levels of familiarity with the institution’s work: Media 5.9 Mean familiarity: Collaborate with WBG = 7.6 Do not collaborate = 5.0 Private Sector 5.8 ▪ Stakeholders: Respondents from the office of the President, Prime Bilateral/Multilateral Agency 5.2 Minister, or Minister indicated the highest levels of familiarity with the WBG, whereas respondents from civil society reported significantly lower familiarity with the WBG’s work. Civil Society 3.2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Familiarity How familiar are you with the work of the World Bank Group in Namibia? 7 Q Scale: 1 Not familiar at all – 10 Very familiar Trust in the World Bank Group: Significant Variations 7.9 Bank of Namibia Across Stakeholders Academia / research centers 7.4 Respondents in Namibia gave the highest trust ratings for National government 7.3 the Bank of Namibia, academia, the national government, Media 7.3 and the media. 7.2 ▪ In terms of trust in the WBG, respondents who Civil society (e.g., NGOs, CBOs) collaborate with the WBG reported significantly higher 7.1 Parliament / legislative branch levels of trust in the institution (mean=7.8) compared to those respondents who do not collaborate with the WBG United Nations 7.0 (mean=5.4). Private sector 7.0 ▪ Respondents from the office of the President, Prime Local government 6.7 Minister, or minister had the highest trust ratings in the WBG (mean = 7.9). In contrast, respondents from civil Regional development banks 6.6 society and media reported significantly lower trust (e.g., African Development Bank) ratings (means = 3.7 and 5.4, respectively). Southern African Customs Union 6.6 World Bank Group 6.3 International Monetary Fund 5.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Trust Q How much do you trust each of the following institutions to do what is right for Namibia? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much 8 9 Overall Attitudes toward the World Bank Group “In order to be effective, [you must] understand Namibia's socio -economic situation. Understanding what worked in Morocco does not mean it will work in Namibia.” (Government Institution Respondent) “Be a development partner that is human-centric and has the care of the Namibian in all the projects it's pursuing. Provide global expertise on how we can better execute the policies we have.” (Media Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Key Performance Indicators Improved but Remain Moderate Respondents who Collaborate with the WBG are Significantly more Positive 7.2 Aligned with development In FY24, respondents’ ratings of the WBG’s alignment with priorities* 5.8 the country’s priorities were significantly higher, although 4.7 most ratings remained relatively moderate (below 6 on a 10- point scale). 7.1 Positive influence on shaping 5.8 Collaborate development policy • Respondents who collaborated with the WBG were with WBG significantly more positive about its work across all FY24 indicators. 6.9 Effectiveness in helping All FY24 5.7 Namibia achieve results^ • Respondents from civil society and media gave the 5.4 lowest mean ratings across all these indicators. Notably, respondents from civil society were the least familiar with 6.8 All FY18 the WBG work compared to other stakeholder groups. Relevant role in development 5.6 5.4 6.4 *Significant difference Helps end poverty in Namibia 5.1 between All FY24 and All FY18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The WBG’s work is aligned with what I consider the development priorities for Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree Q The WBG has a positive influence on shaping the development policy in Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree Mean Rating How effective is the WBG in helping Namibia achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective The WBG currently plays a relevant role in development in Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree The WBG’s work helps end poverty in Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree ^Compared to a mean score of the two questions in FY18: "Overall, please rate your impression of the WBG’s effectiveness in N amibia. Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective; To what extent does the WBG’s work help to achieve development results in Nam ibia? 10 Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree Stakeholders from the 6.5 7.8 office of the President/ Trust the WBG to do what is right for Namibia* 3.7 7.1 7.0 Prime Minister/Minister 1.0 5.4 Have More Positive Positive influence on 6.3 6.2 6.8 Office of the President/PM/ Minister Perceptions of the WBG shaping development policy* 2.8 6.6 Government 4.7 Institutions Comparisons of ratings for key performance indicators 6.7 Bilateral/Multil between stakeholder groups show that respondents 6.2 ateral Agency 6.1 from the office of the President/ Prime Alignment with development 3.0 priorities* Minister/Minister have the highest ratings for the WBG 6.8 Civil Society 4.9 work across all KPIs. In contrast, civil society and media respondents had significantly lower ratings. 6.5 Private Sector 6.1 5.4 Relevant role in 2.6 development* 6.6 Media 4.8 6.5 6.2 6.2 *Significant Effectiveness in helping 2.8 difference between Namibia achieve results* 6.0 stakeholder groups 4.3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q For question wording and scales, please see the previous slide. Mean Rating 11 Familiarity Leads to More Positive Perceptions 7.5 Comparing ratings of key performance indicators among Trust the WBG to do what 6.3 respondents highly familiar with the WBG (ratings of 8- is right for Namibia* 4.8 10 on a 10-point scale) and those with little familiarity with the WBG (ratings of 1-4 on a 10-point scale), one 7.2 can see that the more familiar stakeholders are with the Positive influence on shaping 5.4 WBG, the more positive their perceptions of it and its development policy* work are. 4.1 7.1 Meaningful engagement and outreach can continue Alignment with development 5.6 to increase positive perceptions. priorities of Namibia* 4.0 7.0 Effectiveness in helping Namibia 5.2 to achieve results* 3.7 6.8 Relevant role in development* 5.5 4.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating How familiar are you with the work of the WBG in Namibia? High Familiarity (8-10) Some Familiarity (5-7) Low Familiarity (1-4) How much do you trust the WBG to do what is right for Namibia? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much *Significant difference between Q The WBG has a positive influence on shaping the development policy in Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree levels of familiarity The WBG’s work is aligned with what I consider the development priorities for Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree How effective is the WBG in helping Namibia achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective The WBG currently plays a relevant role in development in Namibia. Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree 12 Namibia’s Key Performance Indicators are Lower than those of Other Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa Surveyed in FY24 6.3 Trust the WBG to do what is right 6.9 5.8 Alignment with development priorities 6.7 Namibia FY24 Posititve influence on shaping 5.8 development policy 6.9 Other Eastern and Southern Africa FY24 Effectiveness in helping to achieve 5.7 results 7.0 5.6 Relevant role in development 7.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 Mean Rating Q FY24 Eastern and Southern African countries included: Burundi, Comoros, Lesotho, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, and Zambia 13 Stakeholder Trends Across Performance Indicators Respondents from the office of the President/ Prime Minister/Minister had the highest mean rating across the All Respondents 5.6 aggregated responses to the nineteen COS indicator questions. In contrast, respondents from civil society had the lowest mean rating, suggesting a more critical Office of the 6.3 perspective on the same set of indicators. President/PM/Minister Collaboration with the WBG: Respondents who indicated Government Institutions 6.1 that they collaborate with the WBG gave significantly higher ratings across the aggregated indicator questions compared to respondents who did not collaborate with the WBG: Private Sector 6.1 Mean rating: Collaborate with WBG = 6.9 Do not collaborate = 4.8 Bilateral/Multilateral Agency 5.9 Media 4.9 Civil Society 3.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Aggregated Indicator Questions Q All Indicator Questions asked on a Scale from 1 to 10. Click here for details of these Indicator Questions. 14 15 World Bank Group’s Support for Development Areas “The WBG should fit their target timelines to the target timelines of Namibia and not just push to have Namibia conduct activities as per the WBG timelines. Now, there is just a rush for activities to be done so that they fit in with set dates as per the WBG approval dates. This results in less focus on proper planning and strategizing by the various Namibian entities, just because they rush to avoid missing the dates and miss out on the WBG funds and opportunities.” (Government Institution Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Development Areas Agriculture / food security 59% for WBG Focus Education 42% In FY24, stakeholders want the WBG to focus its resources on Energy 39% agriculture/food security, education, energy, water/sanitation, and jobs. Respondents in this year's survey considered energy and climate Water / sanitation 35% change a much greater priority than in the FY18 survey (6% and 4%, respectively). Jobs 34% In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to help increase its effectiveness in Namibia? Climate change 28% “Forge public-private-social partnerships and support the emergence of Public sector governance 27% blended finance schemes, especially for rural small-holder farmers and agripreneurs given the lack of funding to this sector and the large number Social protection 26% of livelihoods dependent on the sector.” (Private Sector Respondent) Digital infrastructure development 25% “Support education and private sector to create jobs for the youth.” Health / pandemic preparedness 24% (Civil Society Respondent) Environment / natural resource 23% management “Help transform the education and training system.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Agency Respondent) Private sector development 22% “Direct investment with grassroots organisations, such as agricultural Debt management 18% cooperatives, community morning groups, and community conservancies, because implanting organs on behalf of grassroots organizations in terms Transport infrastructure 15% of grants, investments take huge amounts for admin purposes, and less goes to the people for implements and equipment to be used by a specific Urban development 11% group.” (Civil Society Respondent) Gender equity 6% Which areas should the WBG prioritize to have the most impact on development results in Namibia? 16 Q (Select up to 5) (Percentage of Respondents, N=100) Effectiveness of WBG’s Support in Sectoral Areas Ratings of the WBG’s effectiveness in sectoral areas were generally moderate to low across all sectors. Respondents who collaborated with the WBG were Finance / Institutions / Economic Growth significantly more positive about its work in all sectoral areas. Furthermore, respondents from the office of the President/Prime Minister/Minister were most Macroeconomic stability 7.0 positive about the WBG’s work, particularly in macroeconomic stability and social 5.4 protection (mean=6.6 in both sectors). 6.8 Public sector governance Collaborate with 5.3 WBG FY24 Human Development 6.7 6.8 Private sector development Social protection 5.1 All FY24 5.2 Collaborate with 6.6 6.7 WBG FY24 Regional integration Health 4.9 5.0 All FY24 6.1 6.2 Job creation / employment Education 4.3 4.8 Environmental Sustainability Infrastructure 6.0 6.5 Agriculture and food security Collaborate with Energy / extractives Collaborate 4.9 5.3 WBG FY24 with WBG FY24 5.8 All FY24 5.9 Climate change Digital development All FY24 4.7 4.6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating of Effectiveness Mean Rating of Effectiveness How effective has the WBG been at achieving development results in each of these areas in Namibia? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective Q (If you have NO exposure to/experience in working in any of the sectors listed below, please respond “Don’t know”) 17 18 World Bank Group’s Engagement on the Ground in Namibia “Listen more to the needs on the ground and not use an international formula to respond to local challenges.” (Media Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Improvements in WBG Openness and Accessibility, but Perceptions of Long-Term Partnership are Divided In FY24, respondents gave significantly higher ratings for the Openness (sharing data and 6.0 WBG’s openness and staff accessibility; ratings for other information)* 4.8 responsiveness and flexibility have also improved. Despite the increase, these ratings remain moderate, most below 6.0 on a 10-point scale. Being a long-term partner to 5.8 Namibia 6.5 The lower rating for the WBG being a long-term partner to Namibia was primarily driven by respondents from civil society, bilateral/multilateral agencies, and the media, who 5.7 Access to WBG staff and tended to give low ratings to this question. At the same time, experts* FY24 4.4 respondents who stated that they collaborated with the WBG FY18 gave significantly higher ratings (mean=7.1). Responsiveness to needs in 5.3 Namibia 4.6 In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? “The WBG needs to reform the governance system to make it Flexibility when circumstances 5.1 possible to respond to the needs of countries other than the few countries.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Institution Respondent) change in Namibia 4.3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in terms of the following? Q Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree ^Compared to the mean of institutional flexibility 19 and flexibility to changes in the country context asked in FY18. *Significant difference between years Mixed Perceptions of WBG Collaboration with Stakeholders and Government in FY24 In FY24, while perceptions of the WBG’s collaboration with various 6.2 stakeholder groups have shown marginal improvement, there have National government 6.7 been no statistically significant shifts. Respondents’ ratings of the WBG’s collaboration with local governments were the lowest. 5.6 Other donors and development partners 5.2 The lower rating of the WBG's collaboration with the national government was largely influenced by civil society respondents, who consistently assigned low scores across all collaboration 5.4 Academia / research centers groups. Conversely, respondents with direct collaboration experience with the WBG provided significantly higher ratings for the WBG's collaboration with the national government (mean=7.5). 5.2 Private sector 4.4 FY24 In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? 5.0 FY18 Parliament / legislative “…Enter the local government space by working with local branch authorities and academia through partnerships to get in touch . with local realities and localized solutions. Increase knowledge 4.9 base through reach and development.” Civil society 4.5 (Local Government Respondent) “Prioritizing projects that address the country's most pressing 4.8 Local government development needs by fostering stronger partnerships with local communities...” (Media Respondent) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in Namibia, in terms of collaborating with the following Q groups? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree 20 Stakeholders Want the Bank to Collaborate More with the Private Sector, Local Government, CSOs, Academia Respondents in this year’s survey indicated that the WBG should collaborate more with the private sector in addition to its partnership with the national government. Almost a third of respondents welcomed more Private sector 45% collaboration with local government, civil society, and academia. In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could Local government 33% do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? “Support programmes channeled through the private sector that have a wealth and job creation aim.” (Private Sector Respondent) Civil society (e.g., NGOs, 31% CBOs) “The effectiveness of the World Bank Group in Namibia could be increased through a multi-faceted approach, including devising tailor- made interventions to address the specific needs and challenges of the Academia / research 30% country. This could include: centers 1.Comprehensive consultations with local communities, government officials, and other stakeholders to ensure that projects are relevant Other donors and and sustainable. 27% development partners 2. The WBG may also consider investing in building local capacity within Namibia to effectively implement and sustain projects over the long term. This could involve training programs, knowledge-sharing Parliament / legislative initiatives, and strengthening institutions to better manage resources 16% branch and execute development projects. 3. Collaborating with the private sector to leverage resources, expertise, and networks is also key. …” Other 7% (Government Institution Respondent) In addition to its partnership with the national government, which of the following should the WBG collaborate with more Q to have greater impact in Namibia? (Select up to 2) (Percentage of Respondents, N=96) 21 22 World Bank Group’s Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work “Engage with lawmakers and local government. Most research that the WBG does needs to be shared with those responsible for making laws and policies.” (Civil Society Respondent) “Lend funds at 2% Interest rate. Mobilize more grant funding than loans. Invest in Infrastructure.” (Local Government Respondent) “Expand their training programs to the private sector.” (Government Institution Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Financial Resources Considered the Bank’s Greatest Value Financial resources 37% Technical assistance and In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG 35% implementation support could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? “Understanding Namibian needs and developing suitable Knowledge and analytical products 30% instruments and capacity building to meet it. Providing grants for development needs that increase access to social protection, health and energy and other developmental needs.” (Government Institution Respondent) Capacity development and training 29% “Be more visible, e.g., reaching out to other institutions besides the traditional financial institutions. Since capacity building is Mobilizing third-party financial 14% very important, it would be appreciated if courses, workshops, resources etc., are made known to relevant public and private sector institutions.” Convening / bringing together (Government Institution Respondent) 13% different groups of stakeholders “Removal of conditionalities.” (Media Respondent) Other 10% Donor coordination 7% Which WBG instruments do you VALUE the most in Namibia? (Select up to 2) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=102) 23 WBG Seen as Insisting on Accountability by Some Respondents; Other Perceptions of WBG Financing are Moderate Regarding the WBG's financial instruments, respondents expressed the highest levels of agreement on the WBG's emphasis on 6.4 The WBG insists on accountability in its lending practices. This sentiment was accountability through its lending particularly strong among collaborators (mean=7.1). In contrast, other ratings related to financial instruments were generally moderate, even among those who collaborate with the WBG. In qualitative comments, respondents suggest that Namibia’s 5.3 The WBG’s financial instruments classification as an upper-middle-income country does not reflect meet the needs of Namibia reality and prevents the country from benefiting from the WBG 6.0 financing. In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? 5.2 FY24 The WBG provides financial support in a timely manner FY18 “To consider Namibia as a low middle-income country or underdeveloped 4.8 country for Namibia to benefit from the World Bank Funding without too many restrictions. To raise awareness about WBG support” (Government Institution Respondent) The conditions of the WBG’s 5.1 “…Regional and Local Government is in particular constrained in its financing are competitive economic and development objectives: appropriate funding instruments, compared to markets knowledge proliferation, and economic leadership support are lacking in a dire way in many instances...” (Respondent from the Office of the President/PM/Minister) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating Q To what extent do you agree/disagree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree 24 38% of Respondents Used the WBG’s Knowledge Work; Perceptions of WBG Knowledge Improved The WBG brings global expertise to 6.8 Respondents reported the highest levels of agreement Namibia as part of its knowledge work^ 6.0 regarding the WBG's contribution to bringing global expertise to Namibia and enhancing the country’s institutional capacity, with both ratings showing slight Working with the WBG increases 6.5 improvement. However, fewer respondents indicated Namibia’s institutional capacity 5.9 familiarity with accessing WBG’s knowledge products or perceived them as tailored to Namibia’s specific needs. 6.3 Contribution of the WBG's knowledge to development results in Namibia 5.3 In your opinion, what is the most important thing FY24 the WBG could do to help increase FY18 its effectiveness in Namibia? I am satisfied with the quality of the 5.7 WBG’s knowledge work in Namibia “Its important that the WBG engage the local content, whether it be researchers as they bring solutions to the Namibian market.” When I need to consult the WBG’s 5.5 (Private Sector Respondent) knowledge work, I know how to find it “Holding the government accountable for its spending while approaching it in a manner tailored to the Namibia government. Conducting more research in Namibia for The WBG’s knowledge work is tailored to 5.3 Namibians to use the data and information to bridge barriers Namibia’s context 4.7 and build capacity within local governments.” (Media Respondent) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean Rating Have you ever used the WBG’s knowledge work, including participating in workshops or training programs? (Percentage of Respon dents, N=95) Q To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree How significant a contribution do you believe the WBG’s knowledge work makes to development results in Namibia? 25 Scale: 1 Not significant at all – 10 Very significant ^Compared to “Source of relevant information on global good practices" asked in FY18. 26 The Future Role of the World Bank Group in Namibia “Raise awareness of the support available.” (Private Sector Respondent) “Sharing knowledge and skills.” (Government Institution Respondent) “WBG needs to take a serious look at the country's development indices and evolving needs. Its categorization of Namibia as a UMIC has actually been detrimental to inclusive growth in Namibia.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Sector Respondent) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) How can the Bank increase its effectiveness? Open-Ended Responses Increased visibility and local engagement, tailored support for economic and social development, capacity building, and knowledge sharing Financial • More grants and Financial concessional lending Support, 4% Results, 3% Results • Effective Monitoring & Support Evaluation Ops. Effectiveness, 7% Operational • Tailor operations to the local Focus Area, Focus Area* Effectiveness context 28% • Education / Skills Development Knowledge, • Jobs 15% • Private Sector Development Knowledge • More training/capacity building • Governance / Corruption • Technical support Outreach/Comms., Engagement, Outreach/ • Be more visible, higher Engagement • More engagement with civil 19% 24% society and the private sector public profile Communications • More collaboration with sub- • More promotion/awareness of the WBG’s work national government • Be more responsive • Listen to the needs of Namibians In your opinion, what is the most important thing the World Bank Group could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Q *All percentages are counted based on the total number of topics mentioned by the respondents; individual comments could be counted multiple times depending on the number of topics they cover. 27 How can the Bank increase its effectiveness? Open-Ended Responses Focus Area Engagement “Financial inclusion and access to financing are major problems hampering Namibia's ability “Work more effectively with civil society and local governments, focusing mostly on the needs to leverage the productivity of its small three million citizen population. …The World Bank of the most vulnerable people in society, in order to reduce poverty in Namibia. Be more Group could do much more to establish the infrastructure that would allow more Namibians to visible and responsive.” participate and benefit from the country financial system.” (Media Respondent) (Civil Society Respondent) “Capacity building in Human resources. 2. Focus on priority areas that would reduce “Firstly, the World Bank is not known in Namibia … To cement its position in Namibia, the unemployment.” (Respondent from the office of the President/PM/Minister) World Bank needs to be visible. Secondly, they also need to support civil society, which resonates and closely works with communities in the country. …” “Cancel all debt. Review structural inequalities so pervasive in fiscal and legal frameworks” (Government Institution Respondent) (Local Government Respondent) “Its important that the WBG engage the local content, whether it be researchers as they bring “Assist with National Climate Risk Assessment” solutions to the Namibian market.” (Government Institution Respondent) (Private Sector Respondent) Knowledge “Expand their training programs to the private sector.” Results (Government Institution Respondent) “To conduct monitoring and evaluation to assess if all their supports have created impact.” (Respondent from the office of the President/PM/Minister) “Get in involve in policy analysis 1. agriculture, livestock and meat 2. industries” (Government Institution Respondent) “Prioritizing projects that address the country's most pressing development needs by fostering stronger partnerships with local communities. Monitoring and evaluating project “Provide technical capacity in various field more especially to the unemployed youth invest performance, as well as accountability, is critical.” more on collecting data to inform decision.” (Media Respondent) (Government Institution Respondent) In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG Q could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia?(N=72) 28 How can the Bank increase its effectiveness? Open-Ended Responses Communication Financial Support “Lend funds at 2% Interest rate. Mobilize more grant funding than loans. Invest in “Awareness creation is critical, hence, you need to sensitize the Namibians first.” Infrastructure.” (Respondent from the office of the President/PM/Minister) (Local Government Respondent) “The WBG needs to support Namibia more effectively so that Namibia can achieve its “Raise awareness in the Karas and Hardap regions.” SDGs and support them financially.” (Government Institution Respondent) (Civil Society Respondent) “Providing grants for development needs that increase access to social protection, health “The World Bank must engage more with other stakeholders to sensitize them about the and energy and other developmental needs.” value of the financial products and capacity building that the World Bank brings to the (Government Institution Respondent) table.” (Government Institution Respondent) “Create awareness among the local and regional governments and advocate for Operation Effectiveness transparency in information sharing. Most funding done is not reflected in a nation, and “The WBG should fit their target timelines to the target timelines of Namibia and not just most people don’t know about these programmes and funding assistance and skill push to have Namibia conduct activities as per the WBG timelines. Because now there is a transfer.” just a rush for activities to be done so that it fits in with set dates as per the WBG approval dates. This results in less focus for proper planning and strategizing by the various (Local Government Respondent) Namibian entities, just because they rush so they do not miss the dates and end up missing on the WBG funds and opportunities.” (Government Institution Respondent) “They need to organize stakeholders' symposiums or meet-ups. They need to put calls in “WBG needs to take a serious look at the country's development indices and evolving the local newspapers.” (Academia Respondent) needs. Its categorization of Namibia as a UMIC has actually been detrimental to inclusive growth in Namibia.” (Bilateral/Multilateral Agency Respondent) “First of all, the WBG is not visible in Namibia. They should be visible with their work in Namibia.” (Media Respondent) “To consider Namibia as a low middle-income country or under-developed country for Namibia to benefit from the World Bank funding without too many restrictions. To raise awareness about WBG support.” (Government Institution Respondent) In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG Q could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia?(N=72) 29 30 Communication and Outreach “Communicate more effectively on its work. Increase visibility.” (Private Sector Respondent) “The bank needs to enhance awareness of their programs to state institutions such as Parliament.” (Respondent from the Office of a Parliamentarian) “To have more engagement with the local community so that people are more educated about World Bank Group. Have social involvement to raise the interest of the students in professions that the World Bank requires.” (Respondent from the office of the President/PM/Minister) Q In your opinion, what is the most important thing the WBG could do to increase its effectiveness in Namibia? (N=72) Direct Contact and Events were the Most Preferred for Receiving WBG Communication Respondents most preferred to receive the Bank communications through direct contact and events/conferences/seminars/workshops (in person or online), followed by e-newsletters. Preferred WBG Source Office of the All President/PM/ Government Bilateral/Multilatera Respondents Minister Institutions l Agency Civil Society Private Sector Media Direct contact with staff (e.g., in person, 63.4% 58.3% 67.7% 58.3% 63.6% 66.7% 69.2% virtually, phone, email) Event / conference / seminar / workshop 50.5% 41.7% 45.2% 66.7% 45.5% 66.7% 46.2% (in person or online) e-Newsletters 35.5% 41.7% 38.7% 33.3% 18.2% 25.0% 38.5% Direct messaging (e.g., WhatsApp, 17.2% 25.0% 19.4% 0.0% 9.1% 16.7% 30.8% Telegram, Viber) Social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) 10.8% 25.0% 6.5% 8.3% 9.1% 16.7% 0.0% How would you prefer to receive communication from the WBG? (Select up to 2) Q (Percentage of Respondents, N=93) 31 6 in 10 Recalled Hearing About the WBG Recently; Most Often Through Direct Contact and Events 60% of respondents recalled hearing or seeing something about the WBG recently. Respondents most often reported seeing/hearing about the WBG through direct contact with WBG staff, social media, and the WBG websites. Direct contact with WBG staff 48% Event / conference / seminar (in 36% person or online) Newspapers (print or online) 32% WBG websites 30% No 40% Do you recall Social media 27% seeing or hearing anything about Television (TV) 25% the WBG Yes recently? 60% e-Newsletters 13% Direct messaging 9% Radio 9% Blogs 9% Other 7% Podcasts 5% Do you recall seeing or hearing anything about the WBG recently? (N=94) Q Where do you recall seeing or hearing this information? (Select all that apply) (Percentage of Respondents, N=56) 32 WBG Economic Forecasts, its Work on Climate Change, and Ending Poverty were the Most Commonly Recalled Topics Respondents most frequently recalled WBG’s economic WBG economic forecasts 44% forecasts, work on climate change, and work on ending poverty in developing countries. Climate change 36% Ending poverty in developing 36% In qualitative comments, respondents stressed that the WBG countries needs to improve its visibility through publicity campaigns and Job creation / employment 31% better media engagement to raise awareness about its work Food security 29% and support in Namibia. Debt relief for developing countries 29% Women empowerment 25% Other 24% Human capital (education, health) 24% Changes to the WBG financial and 20% operational model Digital economy 16% Youth development 13% Pandemic preparedness 9% If you answered “Yes” for E2, what topics were included in what you saw or heard about WBG’s work or research? 33 Q (Select all that apply) (Percentage of Respondents, N=55) Climate Change Communications can be More Impactful when Related to Stakeholders’ Top Concerns: More Frequent and Severe Droughts Nearly all respondents were very concerned about more frequent and severe droughts as potential impacts of climate change in Namibia. Decreased water availability/quality and decreased crop yields/increased food insecurity were also of great concern to respondents. These key areas of concern should be considered to make communications about climate change more impactful. Very concerned Somewhat concerned A little concerned Not concerned at all More frequent and severe droughts 89% Decreased water availability / quality 83% Decreased crop yields / increased food insecurity 82% Loss of jobs 73% Land and forest degradation 55% More frequent and severe heatwaves 53% Climate-driven migration 44% More frequent and intense wildfires 43% Extinction of plant / animal species 38% More frequent and severe floods 33% Increased erosion of shoreline 29% Coastal flooding due to sea level rise 23% Air pollution 16% Q How concerned are you about the following potential impacts of climate change in Namibia? (Percentage of Respondents, N=~88) 34 35 Sample Demographics and Detailed Methodology Sample Demographics What is the primary specialization Do you of your work? (N=93) collaborate/work Other 29% with the World Bank Yes Group (WBG) 35% Private sector development / trade 14% in Namibia? (N=105) Public sector governance 13% No 65% Generalist (specialize in multiple 11% sectors) Energy 11% Social protection 4% Education 3% Which of the Macroeconomics, fiscal / debt 3% following WBG management agencies do you World Bank (IBRD) 78% Agriculture and food security 3% collaborate/work with in Namibia? Environment / natural resource management 2% (N=37) International Finance 30% Corporation (IFC) Legal / human rights 2% Multilateral Investment Health / pandemic preparedness 2% Guarantee Agency 5% (MIGA) Urban development 1% Transport 1% 36 Sample Demographics (continued) What’s your age? (N=93) 25 or younger 2% What is your gender? (N=93) 26-35 9% 36-45 25% 46-55 48% 56 and above 16% Female 34% Which best represents your geographic location? (N=92) Male 66% Windhoek 85% Other 7% Keetmanshoop 4% Walvis Bay 3% Swakopmund 1% 37 Detailed Methodology Percentage of Respondents FY 2018 FY 2024 From March to May 2024, a total of 819 stakeholders in Namibia were invited to provide Government Principals: Office of the President, Prime Minister, Minister, 4% 17% their opinions on the WBG’s work by participating in a Country Opinion Survey. The WBG Parliamentarian country team compiled a list of potential participants. Participants were drawn from the office of the President, Prime Minister, office of a minister or parliamentarian, government Government Institutions: Employee of a Ministry, Department, Project Implementation institutions, local governments, bilateral or multilateral agencies, the private sector, civil Unit, Independent Government Institution, 19% 26% society, academia, and the media. Judiciary, State-Owned Enterprise Of these stakeholders, 105 participated in the survey (13% response rate). Respondents Local Government 17% 6% completed the questionnaire via an online platform. Bilateral/Multilateral Agency: Embassy, This year’s survey results were compared to the FY18 Survey, which had a response rate of Development Organization, Development 4% 12% 41% (N=125). Bank, UN Agency Comparing responses across Country Surveys reflects changes in attitudes over time, as Civil Society Organization: Local and well as changes in respondent samples, methodology, and the survey instrument itself. To regional NGOs, Community-Based Organization, Private Foundation, 25% 10% reduce the influence of the latter factor, only those questions with similar response Professional/Trade Association, scales/options were analyzed. This year's survey achieved greater outreach and received Faith-Based Group, Youth Group more responses from government principals, government institutions, and the media. However, there was a decline in participation from civil society and the private sector. These Private Sector: Private Company, Financial 20% 12% Sector Organization, Private Bank differences in stakeholder composition between the two years should be considered when interpreting the results of the past-year comparison analyses. Academia / Research Center 6% 2% Key statistically significant findings (tested at the research standard of p < .05) are noted throughout the report. Media 2% 15% Breakdowns for individual questions by stakeholder group can be found in the “Namibia Other 3% 0% COS FY24 Appendices with data breakdowns.xlsx” file published in the WBG Microdata Library, along with the survey microdata and this report. Total Number of Respondents 107* 201 *Not all respondents provided information about their professional affiliation; hence the difference from the total N. The total N was 125.. 38 Indicator Questions Every country that engages in the Country Opinion Survey (COS) must include specific indicator questions, several of which are aggregated for the World Bank Group’s annual Corporate Scorecard and are highlighted in red below. A1_5. How much do you trust the World Bank Group to do what is right for Namibia? Scale: 1 Not at all – 10 Very much A2. How effective is the World Bank Group in helping Namibia achieve development results? Scale: 1 Not effective at all – 10 Very effective A3. How significant a contribution do you believe the WBG's knowledge work make to development results in Namibia? Scale: 1 Not significant at all – 10 Very significant To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree A4. The WBG currently plays a relevant role in development in Namibia. A5. The WBG’s work is aligned with what I consider the development priorities for Namibia. A6. The WBG has a positive influence on shaping development policy in Namibia. A7. The WBG’s work helps end poverty in Namibia To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in terms of each of the following? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree C1_1. Responsiveness to needs in Namibia C1_2. Access to WBG staff and experts C1_3. Flexibility when circumstances change in Namibia C1_5. Being a long-term partner to Namibia To what extent is the WBG an effective development partner in Namibia, in terms of collaborating with the following groups? Scale: 1 To no degree at all – 10 To a very significant degree C2_1. National government C2_4. Private sector C2_5. Civil society C2_6. Other development partners To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Scale: 1 Strongly disagree – 10 Strongly agree C4_1. The WBG’s financial instruments (i.e., loans, grants, trust funds) meet the needs of Namibia C4_3. The WBG provides financial support in a timely manner C6_1. I am satisfied with the quality of the WBG’s knowledge work in Namibia. C6_4. The WBG’s knowledge work is tailored to Namibia’s context. 39 Thank you For more information about this report or the Country Opinion Survey program, please contact: countrysurveys@worldbankgroup.org